This invention relates to a therapeutic device for relieving stress on the lower spine and buttocks which often causes lower back pain when in a sitting position over a prolonged period of time.
It has long been recognized that one of the causes of lower back pain is the compression and/or pinching of nerves in the lower spine. Sitting over prolonged periods of time, even when sitting in a position in accord with good posture habits, can nevertheless result in such compression, causing discomfort and pain in the lower back and extending into the buttocks region. It is this condition which the present invention is intended to alleviate.
According to the present invention, an adjustable seat crutch is provided which is designed to be attached to the upright back portion of a seat. The seat crutch includes at least one padded support member which, in the operative position, extends outwardly from the seat back and which can be adjusted vertically to engage the arm or underarm of a user in a position such that at least a portion of the upper body weight of the user is supported by the crutch so as to relieve stresses on the lower spine and buttocks region. The seat crutch may include one supporting member if it is desired to support only one side of the upper body, or alternatively, the seat crutch may include a pair of support members for engagement with both arms of the user. In all cases the support members are adjustable both vertically and horizontally to accommodate users of varying physical characteristics. Several exemplary embodiments of the invention are disclosed. In one embodiment, there is provided a crutch component which includes a hook portion adapted to be hung over the seat back and an elongated flexible strap member which is designed to hang downwardly along the front face of the seat back. A padded support member is slideably mounted on the flexible strap member with fastening elements so that the padded support member can be adjusted vertically along the length of the strap as desired by the user. It is understood, of course, that the seat crutch may include two separate crutch components useable together to engage both arms or underarms of the user to provide substantially uniform relief of stresses on the lower spine and buttocks region.
In another similar embodiment, the padded support member may be slideably received on a depending flexible member through a threadable loop-type configuration explained more fully herein.
In a third embodiment of the invention, a pair of elongated crutch component members are provided in a scissors-type arrangement wherein the members are pivotally attached at a point intermediate their ends. The elongated members are provided with seat attaching hook means at their upper ends, and padded support members at their lower ends. The padded support members are mounted to the elongated members for adjustment to fit the requirements of the user.
In a fourth embodiment, the seat crutch consists of a single elongated member provided at its upper end with a curved hook-like portion for attachment to a seat back, and a single elongated transverse member adjustably mounted to the first elongated member. The transverse member is provided at either end with a padded support member. Each padded support member is adjustably mounted to the transversely extending member for adaptation to the size of the user.
In summary, it is the primary object of this invention to relieve stresses on the lower spine and buttocks region caused by upper body weight exerted on the lower spine when sitting for prolonged periods of time. To this end, an adjustable seat crutch is provided which engages the arms or underarms of a user and which supports at least a portion of the upper body weight.